EPA Finalizes Electronic Reporting Rule for Toxic Release Inventory Data

This one is final. (And they’re serious: “EPA will not accept or process TRI reporting forms that are not submitted in the appropriate manner.”

Effective January 21, 2014 (and thus applicable to Toxic Release Inventory, or TRI, submissions for the 2013 reporting year), the Environmental Protection Agency will require that covered facilities submit their Form R (or Form A) reports using the agency’s TRI-MEweb (Toxic Release Inventory Made Easy) program, accessible through the Central Data Exchange web-based system.

However, facilities that submit trade secret TRI information will continue to submit their trade secret reporting forms and substantiation forms in hard copy.

EPA will also require facilities to submit electronically via the Internet any revisions or withdrawals of previously submitted TRI reporting forms. No more paper forms, CDs,…. And EPA will no longer accept submissions, revisions, or withdrawals for reporting years prior to reporting year 1991. For trade secret submissions, EPA will continue to only accept revisions or withdrawals of previously submitted trade secret information on paper forms, back to reporting year 1991.

For more information on TRI reporting requirements, visit our TRI compliance page. If you have further questions or need assistance with Toxic Release Inventory reporting, please contact us – we’re happy to help.